Why Fanfiction Is An Important Part of the Literary World

I have come here to share with you my deepest shame…I love fanfiction. Always have and some part of me always will. I know, horrifying and disturbing says all the people who have only read the most outrageously sexual blurbs of it online. But if you have actually dived into the world of online fanfiction, you would know it is incredibly diverse and rich just like all literature is.

But Fanfiction Is Creepy and Sexual!!

So yes, there are some seriously detailed and creepy sexual fanfictions lacking any quality plot or grammar but are there not tons of horribly written and pointless published books? Lumping every fanfiction together because of the few takes away from what fanfiction does bring to the world.

**I would also like to add a disclaimer the few fanfics that have been brought into traditional media forms are not representative of fanfiction as a whole. For some reason, traditional media chose some of the more cringey and badly written fanfictions to recreate. It’s why people unacquainted with the world of fanfic shouldn’t just randomly choose a popular one as a representation of the whole genre.

Reinventing the World of Literature

Now, what does fanfiction bring to the world? Well simply put it changes the game of literature. It allows the fans to have control of the worlds built in books, movies, and tv shows. Building a complete world along with individual storylines and overarching plotlines is not a one-man job and even if it can be, it shouldn’t be. Fanfiction allows an infinite number of storylines and directions to be taken in the same/similar set parameters. This allows the original to be examined in much more complex ways than ever before. In a lot of ways, fan fiction is a hypothetical explored by readers.

Exploration of Different Stories Than Classic Literature

Personally, my favorite genre of fanfiction is romance but not all fanfic stories contain romance. They widely vary in genres just like other books do. The reason I have always adored fanfiction romance more than published romance books is that so much of romance novels are just the build-up to their first kiss or first date. That is not the romance I am excited by. I am excited by the being in relation with another and what that means. This is commonly explored in fanfiction in a way that allows readers to learn about human relationships or escape into a more idealistic world.

Real People or Fictional Characters?

Fanfiction contains two categories: stories containing fictional characters and stories containing real people. Even in the fanfiction community, there is discourse over what is crossing boundaries. I personally am not against stories containing real people as long as it doesn’t cross into incredibly specific and personal information about them. I always saw it as an author liking the character trope that this person represents. I enjoyed them because it’s like knowing what genre you are reading before your start the story. You can prepare yourself because you know the basic traits the character will contain. It allows less of the world to need to be built beforehand so as a reader you can solely focus on the actual plot.

Become the Main Character

While all books allow escapism, fanfiction lends itself much easier than traditional books. Simply because it is written by someone who wants to escape into this world. It also allows readers to not just read about the main character but feel like the main character. This connects them much more deeply with the material.

While the world of fan fiction is very different from the rest of the literary community, I believe it is time we let go of any negative stigmas against it. It’s time to respect what it adds to the world.

~~~

Blog by Nicole Asherah. Nicole Asherah is an artist who tries to connect people to intimate moments, feelings, and relationships experienced throughout life through her poetry, paintings, and photography.

If you enjoyed this blog, check out:

5 Tips For Encouraging Your Unique Creativity

What Inspired My Poem: The Battlegrounds Of Perspective

To keep up to date with my work and get exclusives, sign up for my newsletter below!